Diaspora in US rallying support for Jamaican stroke victim
Published:Sunday | August 27, 2023 | 12:11 AMLester Hinds - Sunday Gleaner Writer
The Jamaican diaspora in the United States is rallying support for Jamaican fisherman Keith Brown, who suffered a major stroke while visiting New Jersey recently and remains in a nursing home/rehab centre.
Brown travelled to the United States in July for the annual Friends of Trelawny reunion. A couple of days after the event, the 67-year-old suffered a stroke which left him unable to talk and walk.
He was in the JFK Meridian Hospital in New Jersey for two and a half months and was just recently transferred to a nursing home – Complete Care – and the family is seeking help with his medical bills.
According to his sister, Jackie Brown, it is costing some US$300 per day to keep him in the nursing home, and this does not include the cost of rehabilitation.
“He was able to get emergency medical insurance while in the hospital to cover the hospital costs but, with his transfer to the nursing home, the emergency insurance coverage ended and the costs of the nursing home have fallen to the family,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.
The family has launched a GoFundMe to raise US$80,000 to cover his stay in the nursing home. However, contributions to the fund have not been strong. So far, they have only raised US$3,500.
Jackie said that the family welcomes any and all assistance to help offset the medical costs.
Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, Alsion Wilson, is leading the efforts to try and get insurance assistance for Brown, so as to reduce the financial burden on the family.
“I have reached out to a number of people within the New Jersey community to see what assistance can be afforded Mr Brown through emergency medical insurance or grants,” Wilson told The Sunday Gleaner.
Dr Robert Clarke, head of Help Jamaica Medical Mission, has offered financial help to the family and has also assured that his organisation will assist with medication where possible.
“We as a community have to do everything we can to assist,” he said.
Derrick Scott, a board member and public relations officer with Friends of Falmouth, said that Brown is a renowned fisherman from Falmouth.
“We are concerned about his present plight and we welcome any support that the community can offer to the family,” said Scott.
He pointed out that Brown regularly travels to New York for the annual Friends of Trelawny reunion.
“He cannot talk, nor can he walk, and so his rehabilitation will take some time,” his sister Jackie told The Sunday Gleaner.